Nattokinase may have potential uses in heart-related conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and stroke. And about one study, nattokinase had no side effects in several clinical trials. A combination of nattokinase and red yeast rice lowered cholesterol more effectively than nattokinase alone. Nattokinase, also known as natto extract (subtilisin NAT or urokinase), is an enzyme from nattō, a fermented soy product.
Nattokinase is a topic of increasing research in the Western world due to its recently discovered potential benefits. Animal studies have shown that nattokinase can significantly reduce the increase in fibrinogen seen after a stroke and the severity of the stroke. In a study conducted with 12 healthy adult males, a single dose of nattokinase degraded fibrin and reduced levels of coagulation factors, which are involved in blood clotting. In 82 patients, daily nattokinase supplementation significantly reduced plaque size (reduction of plaque by 36.6%), which causes hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), compared to treatment with statins (reduction of plaque by 11.5%).
In a recent study evaluating the improvement of nattokinase in atherosclerosis compared to simvastatin (a common lipid-lowering drug with statins), nattokinase outperformed simvastatin with a 14.8% greater reduction in arterial plaque. Nattokinase may be beneficial for patients with thrombosis, which is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel. However, combination therapy (nattokinase and red yeast rice) lowered LDL, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels and increased HDL from the first month. Nattokinase reduces cerebral infarction and fibrinogen and activates partial thromboplastin time against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Nattokinase appears to have the potential to have a positive impact on the inflammation circuit and control inflammation by preventing pro-inflammatory activities in the body. Oral consumption of nattokinase dissolved blood clots and restored normal blood flow in just 5 hours. The lipid-lowering effects appear to be more pronounced with NKCP and with higher nattokinase doses of 400 mg per day. Other neuroprotective effects have been observed in patients with ischemic stroke, in whom nattokinase has been able to improve blood flow by inhibiting platelet aggregation and clot formation.
Despite its name, nattokinase is not a kinase enzyme but rather belongs to the serine protease family of enzymes, which act to break down other proteins.
